Trustees
Tony Rowe CBE, Chairman
Tony Rowe is the Chief Executive & Chairman of Exeter Rugby Group Plc (Exeter Chiefs) and has other business interests across the South West. Over the last 30 years, under his guidance, the club has risen from a fourth division amateur outfit to the Champions of English Rugby Union, playing in England’s Gallagher Premiership.
Michael Caines MBE, Trustee
"There’s a great saying in life that says “charity starts at home, for us home is Exeter & Devon”, so being involved with The Exeter Chiefs Foundation is a great honour and one that benefits the local area through charitable activities. Exeter Chiefs' success and impact on Exeter and the wider community of Devon has been massive and it’s our aim to ensure that this is success is felt by those that need our help the most, our local charities.” Michael Caines
Michael Caines MBE, Chef owner of Lympstone Manor, is one of Britain’s most celebrated and acclaimed chefs. Over the past 21 years he has earned a global reputation for his distinctive modern European cuisine utilising the finest local and regional produce and ingredients. Amongst numerous other accolades, Michael has cooked in 10 Downing Street for the Prime Minister, received an MBE in 2006 for services to the hospitality industry and was awarded AA Chef's Chef of the Year in 2007.
Lympstone Manor is Michael Caines’ flagship hotel and restaurant overlooking the Exe Estuary in Devon, and forms part of the Michael Caines Collection alongside beachside restaurant and bar, The Cove at Maenporth and Mickeys Beach Bar and Restaurant in Exmouth and Café Patisserie Glacerie. Michael also invests much time in the Michael Caines Academy at Exeter College identifying the training of the next generation of hospitality stars.
Michael appears regularly on television including programs such as BBC One's Saturday Kitchen, Masterchef, Sunday Brunch and The Great British Menu.
In 2016, Michael was granted Freedom of the City of Exeter in recognition of his services to the city of Exeter and the wider community. He is the driving force behind the Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink, a festival of national and international interest that celebrates the quality and variety of food and drink in southwest England and is the Chairman of the renowned and prestigious Trencherman’s guide and founder of the South West Chef annual competition. Michael also supports a number of charities both as Patron and through fundraising activities across his restaurants including Farms for City Children, The Exeter Chiefs Foundation, Devon Wildlife Trust, RNLI, Down Syndrome Association and the Calvert trust.
Keiron Northcott, Trustee
Keiron is currently the Deputy Chief Executive of the Exeter Chiefs as well as being a partner in his own Insurance Brokerage, Northcott Beaton Ltd. Working with his business partner Nick Beaton, the company is based in Sowton, Exeter and has been trading since 1990.
His role at the Chiefs and his passion for Rugby developed from an early age. Keiron was born in Exeter and attended Hele’s School where he first discovered his love of rugby. When he left school he went straight into the Insurance Industry in Exeter Working for Municipal Mutual Insurance.
David Bird, Trustee
David Bird is the Head of Santander’s Business Banking team for the South West, helping people and businesses prosper.
He has well over 30 years experience in banking, covering a wide variety of roles across the UK, including lengthy spells in credit, commercial and corporate banking.
Marc Astley, Trustee
Marc is the CEO of multi award-winning PR and Marketing agency Astley Media and founder of citizen journalism website The Exeter Daily. Before launching his agency, Marc was editor of the Express & Echo in Exeter for six years and a journalist for more than 20 years.
He has been a trustee since the Foundation was launched and also supports several other charities.
Karime Hassan MBE, Trustee
Karime Hassan, was awarded an MBE for services to local government in 2022. A town planner by profession, with over 40 years’ experience working for local authorities, between 2013 and 2023 he held the post of Chief Executive & Growth Director at Exeter City Council.
A graduate of Nottingham Trent and the University of Loughborough, Karime worked for Derby, Nottingham and Newport city councils before moving to Devon in 1999. As Head of Planning Services for Exeter City Council he played a significant role in the delivery of strategic development projects, such as the Met Office relocation to Exeter, and the redevelopment of the Princesshay quarter of the city centre.
As Corporate Director for East Devon District Council, he led the planning and delivery of the Exeter and East Devon Growth point, overseeing delivery of major projects such as Exeter Science Park, Skypark and Cranbrook new community, and helping in the process to make Exeter one of the fastest growing cities in the UK.
His executive leadership of Exeter City Council, and his support for partnership working, led to collaboration between the city’s major institutions and the setting up of the Liveable Exeter Place Board and wellbeing programmes including the Sport England local delivery pilot.
Karime is an Independent Member of the Council of the University of Exeter. In July 2019 the University awarded him an Honorary doctorate for his work supporting health and wellbeing in the city.
Karime is a non-executive director of Exeter Rugby Club, and in 2015 served as a Member of the RFU Rugby World Cup Legacy Board.
Karime is a trustee of the Exeter City Community Trust and sits on the Cambridge University Library Services Advisory Board.
He is a Fellow at the Centre for Leadership at the University of Exeter Business School.